Wheelbarbow toy



J. ALENA.

WHEELBARROW TOY. APPLwATlON HLED FEB. i4, 1919 Patented May 20, i919.

UNITED sTATEs y PATENT oEEIoE. y

JosErE ALENA, E PERTH AMBOY, NEW JERSEY.

. WHEEILEAREOW ToY.

To'aZZ whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ALENA, a citizen of the United States -of America, residing at Perth Amboy, in the county of Middlesex, in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheelbarrow Toys, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a toy in the form of a wheelbarrow adapted for producing noise, the intensity of which depends upon the rapidity of travel of the wheelbarrow over the ground, provision being made for prevent'- ing the noise when desired during the travel of the wheelbarrow.

Y A further object of the invention is to provide a noise-producing toy havingseparate means for alternately producing similar sounds, the rapid travelv of the vehicle rendering these sounds in -a substantially continuous noise. v

A still further object of the invention is to provide a noise-producing toy that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and possesses great strength, the structure consisting of two parts which are not liable to get out of order, ready means beingl also provided to turn off the noise.

With these general objects in view the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing and in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a view of my invention partly in side elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the invention in vertical longitudinal section,

'Fig 3 is a top plan view thereof with parts broken away, and

F 4 is a perspective view of the switch employed with the device.

y invention has the appearance of a wheelbarrow in which a wheel is carried by an axle 11 journaled adjacent the forward ends of the side rails 12 of the vehicle, the rear ends of the rails being slightly curved forming handles 13.

A bottom plate 14 is secured beneath the rails 12 while a curved top plate 15 is pro- Specication of Letters Patent.

vided above said bottom plate. A ratchet wheel 16 is provided upon the axle 11 at each side of the wheel 10, springs 17 being provided, of different lengths normally engaging the teeth of the wheel 16, with the rear ends of the springs 17 secured as at 18 to a transverse brace 19 provided lbetween the rails 12 adjacent the handle portions 13 and between the plates 14 and 15.

The springs 17 forwardly project from the brace 19 between the plates 14 and 15 and are tensioned in their engagement withthe wheels 16 and by reason of the springs 17 being of different lengths, and the teeth of the wheels 16 being positioned in correspondin planes, the springs 17 will be released at di erent and alternate times by the teeth of' the wheels 16 so as to produce sounds alternately during the forward travel of the wheel 10. Upon moving the wheelbarrow forwardly with great rapidity, the alternate sounds produced by the springs 17 upon the wheel 16 are so close together as to sound substantially .continuous and 4producing a roaring noise.

'A T-shaped switch 20 isprovided with-fa.'

cross head 21 slidably mounted in opposite slots 22 in the rails 12 for bracing upwardly lbeneath the springs 17 for elevating the brace out of engagement with the wheels 16. The switch has a rearwardly projecting handle 23 centrally attached to the cross head 21 and slidably mounted through a slot 24 in the brace 19, a block 25 -being provided upon the handle 23 rearwardly of the brace 19 while a pin 26 is carried by the said handle inwardly of the said brace. The block 25 and pin 26 limit the sliding movement of the switch 20 and it will be seen that when the switch 20 is retracted with the springs 17 released, the noise will be produced by the springs striking the successive teeth of the wheel 16 to open forwardly moving the switch 20, by forcing the block 25 forwardly, the springs 17 will be prevented from engaging the wheels 16 and the noise will be interrupted.

A strong toy is .provided and one in which articles may be carried by placing the same upon the upper plate 15 which is slidably curved for retaining articles thereon while the approach of the wheelbarrow can be readily noted by means of the sound produced by the wheels 16 and springs 17, al-

Iatented May'201 v919. Application flied February 14,1919.- serialnaevassv. I

though this sound or alarrnmay be turned olf by means of the switch 2O whenever desired.

What I claim as new is l. A device of the class described cornprising side rails, an axle journaled adjacent the forward ends of said rails, a transverse brace between the rails spaced from the rear' ends thereof, a ground wheel, upon said axle, sprocket wheels upon the axle at opposite sides of the ground wheel and opposite springs secured at their rear ends to said brace with their forward ends in normal resilient engagement with said sprocket wheels, a bottom plate upon said rails and a curved plate upon the top of the rails adapted for the reception of articles to be carried.

2. A device of the class described comprising side rails, an axle journaled adjacent the forward ends of said rails, a transverse bracebetween the rails spaced from the rear ends thereof, a ground wheel, upon said axle, sprocket wheels upon the axle at opposite sides of the ground wheel and opposite springs secured at their rear ends to, said brace with their forward ends in` normal resilient engagement with said sprocket wheels, a bottom plate upon said rails, 'av curved plate upon the top of the rails adapted for the reception of articles to be carried, the side rails having inclined slots therethrough, a switch having a cross head slidably mounted in said slots and positioned for bearing beneath the said springs whereby the springs areadapted for separation from the sprocket wheels when the switch is forwardly positioned, an arm rearwardly Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing-.the ,Commlssioner of .PatentsyA projecting from. said heady through said brace and a block upon the free lend of said arm rearwardly of the brace.

3. A sounding tov comprising in combination with a wheelbarrow having opposite rails andan axle journaled therebetween provided with a ground wheel, the rear end portions of the rails serving as handles for theY vehicle, a transverse brace between the rails rearwardly ofthe ground wheel, u per and lower plates carried by the rais with said brace positioned therebetween, a sprocket wheel carried bythe axle=at each side of the ground wheel, opposite springs of different length having their rear. ends secured within said brace, and their forward cnds normally engaging the sprocket wheels atvrelatively different points upon thewheels whereby alternatesounds are produced byv the springs upon the sprocketwheels during the forward travel ofthe ground wheel, the side rails having oppositeinclined slots between said plates andthe brace having a substantially centralopening therethrough, a T-shaped switch having its cross head `slidably mounted in said slots andits rearwardly projecting arm extending., through said opening, the springs resting upon the switch head whereby (the forward movement of the switch is adaptedfor elevating the springs above the sprocket wheels, a stop pin through the switch arm1 forwardly ofthe brace and an engaging block upon the ,free end of said arm. rearwardly ofthe, brace.

ln 'testimonyy whereof I affix my signature.

i JOSEPH ALENA.

Washington, D. C. 

